Thank you for the clarification Frenchie, Dobrinfan and mskater93. I didn't realise that replacements were only an option if you had more than one skater qualified. I guess Plushenko faking an injury will be the only option to make him take part then. It's a shame because he could probably skate a clean SP. That or choosing Plushenko for the team event and Kovtun for the individual event.
Kovtun's scores were inflated as well. Having said that, whilst Kovtun's programs aren't exactly extremely complex in terms of choreography or transitions, they aren't completely basic either. He has come a long way and he's skating with quite a lot of speed and flow and his posture and lines are good.
Plushenko is permanently injured, having had lots of surgeries. His body is probably holding by a thread at this point.
They basically did the same thing for kovtun or do you forget it was 98 vs 93? What now all kovtuns scores are actually legitimate and he will get 90 in pcs in Sochi or euros or internationally now?
Kovtun's scores were inflated as well. Having said that, whilst Kovtun's programs aren't exactly extremely complex in terms of choreography or transitions, they aren't completely basic either. He has come a long way and he's skating with quite a lot of speed and flow and his posture and lines are good.
He must be injured... There's no other reason. He's not healthy... He can't have legitimately made all those errors. After all, he skated clean at Euros 2012 and in 2006 and 2010. :sarcasm:
Plushenko is permanently injured, having had lots of surgeries. His body is probably holding by a thread at this point.